Apparatus and method to utilize compressed air for moving mass between tanks

Abstract

An apparatus and method of using compressed air to move fluid thereby creating a gravity differential of suspended fluid tanks. The apparatus comprises a first tank, a second tank, a glide track, a glide car, an air compressor, a diaphragm pump, an air storage vessel, and a brake system. Fluid is pumped from one tank to the other tank, thus causing the two tanks to rise and lower accordingly. The rotational force and associated rotational spin associated with the raising and lowering of the tanks may be harnessed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus to move mass, the apparatus comprising:
 a first tank; 
 a second tank; 
 a glide track; 
 a glide car; 
 an air compressor; 
 a diaphragm pump; 
 an air storage vessel; and 
 a brake system,
 wherein the first tank is disposed on one or more first tank support arms with distal ends of the one or more first tank support arms hingeably attached to the glide track, 
 wherein one end of one or more first tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the one or more first tank support arms at some point between the ends of the one or more first tank support arms and the other end of one or more first tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the glide car, 
 wherein the second tank is disposed on one or more second tank support arms with distal ends of the one or more second tank support arms hingeably attached to the glide track, 
 wherein one end of one or more second tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the one or more second tank support arms at some point between the ends of the one or more second tank support arms and the other end of one or more second tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the glide car, 
 wherein the air compressor provides compressed air to the air storage vessel, and 
 wherein the diaphragm pump is disposed between the air storage vessel and the first tank and the second tank. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 1 , wherein the glide car is disposed on glide car wheels that allow the glide car to travel on the glide track. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 1 , wherein the two tanks are connected via the diaphragm pump. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 1 , wherein the glide car travels along the glide track whenever the first tank and the second tank are moving upward and/or downward. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 1 , wherein compressed air that passes through the diaphragm pump is released into the atmosphere. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 1 , wherein a series of fluid intake paths and fluid supply paths direct the flow of fluid from the tanks to the air pump and from the air pump to the fluid tanks, respectively. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid intake paths from the tanks flow through a fluid intake valve prior to entering the air pump. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 1 , wherein fluid exiting the diaphragm pump enters a fluid supply valve which switches directing fluid from the first tank to the second fluid tank and vice versa. 
     
     
       9. A method of moving mass, the method comprising:
 filling a first tank with a fluid that is disposed on one or more first tank support arms with distal ends of the one or more first tank support arms hingeably attached to a glide track,
 wherein one end of one or more first tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the one or more first tank support arms at some point between the ends of the one or more first tank support arms and the other end of one or more first tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to a glide car; 
 
 pumping compressed air into an air storage vessel; and 
 releasing the compressed air from the air storage vessel through a diaphragm pump,
 wherein the first tank and a second tank are connected through the diaphragm pump, wherein the second tank is disposed on one or more second tank support arms with distal ends of the one or more second tank support arms hingeably attached to the glide track, 
 wherein one end of one or more second tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the one or more second tank support arms at some point between the ends of the one or more second tank support arms and the other end of one or more second tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the glide car, 
 wherein the diaphragm pump creates suction whereby fluid from the first tank is pumped to the second tank through the diaphragm pump, 
 wherein a brake system suspends the first tank until the fluid transfer is fully completed to the second tank, 
 wherein the glide car is disposed on glide car wheels that allow the glide car to travel on the glide track, 
 wherein once the fluid transfer is complete from the first tank to the second tank, the glide car travels along the track and moves the one or more first tank glide car arms and one or more second tank glide car arms, respectively, and in-turn, the second tank descends and the first tank ascends, and 
 wherein this process is repeated whereby the fluid from the second tank is transferred to the first tank causing the first tank to descend and the second tank to ascend. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The method of moving mass of  claim 9 , wherein a series of fluid intake paths and fluid supply paths direct the flow of fluid from the tanks to the diaphragm pump and from the diaphragm pump to the fluid tanks, respectively. 
     
     
       11. The method of moving mass of  claim 9 , wherein the fluid intake paths from the tanks flow through a fluid intake valve prior to entering the diaphragm pump. 
     
     
       12. The method of moving mass of  claim 9 , wherein fluid exiting the diaphragm pump enters a fluid supply valve which switches directing fluid from the first tank to the second fluid tank and vice versa. 
     
     
       13. The method of moving mass of  claim 9 , wherein the first tank begins a cycle when the first tank is full and the second tank is empty, and a brake cylinder begins to retract from a full extended position and the first tank descends. 
     
     
       14. The method of moving mass of  claim 9 , wherein when the first tank descends, a glide track gear rotates via rack gear parallel to the glide track, as the first tank support arms of the first tank fold downward with the first tank. 
     
     
       15. The method of moving mass of  claim 9 , wherein the fluid is a mixture of propylene glycol and water. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus to move mass, the apparatus comprising:
 a first tank; 
 a second tank; 
 a glide track; 
 a glide car; 
 an air compressor; 
 a diaphragm pump; 
 an air storage vessel; and 
 a brake system,
 wherein the two tanks are connected to the glide track and the glide car via support arms that are attached hingeably to the glide track and the glide car, 
 wherein the two tanks are connected through the diaphragm pump, and 
 wherein the diaphragm pump is connected to the air storage vessel. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 16 , wherein the first tank is disposed on one or more first tank support arms with distal ends of the one or more first tank support arms hingeably attached to the glide track. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 17 , wherein one end of one or more first tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the one or more first tank support arms at some point between the ends of the one or more first tank support arms and the other end of one or more first tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the glide car. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 18 , wherein the second tank is disposed on one or more second tank support arms with distal ends of the one or more second tank support arms hingeably attached to the glide track. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus to move mass of  claim 19 , wherein one end of one or more second tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the one or more second tank support arms at some point between the ends of the one or more second tank support arms and the other end of one or more second tank glide car arms are hingeably attached to the glide car.